I was looking for a PC on marketplace and found one with a really good price. The seller said he didn’t need it anymore because he has a PS5. I offered to buy it right away. He asked for a $20 deposit to hold it, which I sent through EMT. Now I can’t see his profile anymore, and he’s not answering my texts. Is there anything I can do? Can he access my info from the EMT or my email? I feel like I should’ve done more research, especially since his phone number and email don’t show up anywhere. I didn’t give him my address, but he gave me one—if that’s even his. I’m in Canada, by the way. Anyone else been through this?
Hey, heads up for anyone new here: Be careful about recovery scammers! If you share your story, some people might DM you pretending they can help you get your money back—for a fee. Don’t fall for it. Keep discussions open here where everyone can see and help. If someone asks for private chats, it’s probably another scam.
This is called an advance fee scam. Never pay a deposit to hold something on FB marketplace. And honestly, the low price should’ve been a warning sign. It’s a classic trick.
Murphy said:
This is called an advance fee scam. Never pay a deposit to hold something on FB marketplace. And honestly, the low price should’ve been a warning sign. It’s a classic trick.
Surprised the scammer only asked for $20. Guess they’re playing the long game with small amounts.
@bertilhughes
They probably think more people will send $20. Get a couple of hundred people, and it adds up fast.
Aiden said:
@bertilhughes
They probably think more people will send $20. Get a couple of hundred people, and it adds up fast.
Exactly. It’s all about numbers. People are less likely to fight over small amounts, too.
Murphy said:
This is called an advance fee scam. Never pay a deposit to hold something on FB marketplace. And honestly, the low price should’ve been a warning sign. It’s a classic trick.
Yeah, I should’ve been more cautious. Lesson learned, I guess.
@LizCampbell
Don’t feel too bad—it’s only $20. Just share what you’ve learned so others don’t fall for it.
Watch out for scammers pretending they can get your money back. They’ll ask for another small fee, like $5 or $10. It’s just another trick.
Sorry, but it sounds like you’ve lost the $20. The guy blocked you, and you won’t get the PC or your money back. Make sure to keep an eye out for recovery scammers, too.
EmmanuelBrown said:
Sorry, but it sounds like you’ve lost the $20. The guy blocked you, and you won’t get the PC or your money back. Make sure to keep an eye out for recovery scammers, too.
I can live with losing $20, but I’m more worried about whether he can do anything worse with the info he has. And is $20 even worth it for him?
@LizCampbell
Scammers make money by targeting a lot of people. If they scam 50 people for $20 each, that’s $1,000. You’re not the only target. At least now you know to be more careful.
@LizCampbell
$20 might not seem like much, but in some places, it’s a day’s pay. They’ll take whatever they can get.
When you send an EMT, the email comes from notify@payments.interac.ca. Your actual email isn’t shown, just your name. So the scammer doesn’t have much info beyond that. In the future, try meeting at a police station for transactions. If the seller has an excuse not to, they’re probably a scammer.
@ScamVictimSupport
Thanks for clarifying about the email! Definitely going to meet in public places from now on.
Scammers can’t access your bank account from an EMT. They just set up fake ads to get as many deposits as they can. A lot of these scams seem to come from countries like Kenya.
TomHenry said:
Scammers can’t access your bank account from an EMT. They just set up fake ads to get as many deposits as they can. A lot of these scams seem to come from countries like Kenya.
That’s a relief. And hey, cool username—how was that not taken?
@LizCampbell
Haha, no idea! And yeah, I think about In-N-Out Burger way too much.
Sorry, but your money is gone.
You got off light. Next time, be more careful with deals that seem too good to be true.